I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 238 The Strongest Spear, the Strongest Shield

Xu Qing finally understood why the old Taoist priest had built the Ruyi Temple so magnificently; it turned out that the temple also served as a shield!

For ordinary Taoist temples, pine, cypress, or mulberry wood is considered high-quality for beams and pillars. A grand temple might even use nanmu wood. However, the beams and pillars of Ruyi Temple are made of old ironwood that grows in rock crevices and has withstood a hundred years of wind and frost.

This kind of wood, even if you chop it with an axe, will only leave a white mark; even copper beams and iron pillars would be no better.

Besides the beams and pillars, the blue bricks used to build the walls of Ruyi Temple were all specially made by the official kiln, and they were even three-tenths thicker than the defensive bricks on the city wall.

The mortar used for building the walls is made by boiling glutinous rice paste until it is as thick as honey glue, then mixing it with egg white, fine sand, and cast iron powder. This secret recipe is something that the Qiang people in Sichuan use when building watchtowers and castles. You should know that the Qiang people made this stuff to prevent the earth dragon from turning over and to resist earthquakes!

But the cowardly Taoist Baiyun used this stuff on his own Taoist temple. Now the walls of the main hall are covered with sword marks, and Xu Qing can smell the pungent glutinous rice smell from a distance!
Why is this old Taoist priest smearing dirt on the wall? That's so disgusting!

Xu Qing's expression at this moment was just like Xuan Yu's cat paw accidentally getting wet, showing utter disgust.

The most amazing thing is the ground. The ground in Ruyi Temple is not paved with bluestone slabs, but with granite.

Those granite blocks were three feet square, and the base was made of a mixture of lime, sand, and clay, compacted to be as solid as an iron plate. Even a silver-armored corpse might not be able to break through this ground!
Xu Qing finally understood: this old Taoist priest was genuinely afraid of death!

At this moment, before the altar, the White Cloud Taoist remained as still as a mountain, resembling a living turtle.

Xuan Yu was extremely fast, and its sword light rained down on Baiyun Daoren. However, it was not just facing the old Daoist, but the entire meticulously constructed Grand View Garden.

And that grand temple is the tortoise shell of the White Cloud Taoist; as long as the temple stands, he will not fall.

With his hand forming the evasion incantation, Daoist Baiyun felt much more at ease. He coldly observed the cat that was constantly tearing apart his house and said in a strange tone, "This illusory divine protection technique is a true divine magic. No matter how capable you are, you won't be able to break it in a short time!"

After saying that, Daoist Baiyun freed one hand, took out a string of Buddhist beads, and threw it directly at one of Xuan Yu's clones.

As the sword flashed, the string connecting the prayer beads snapped abruptly, and the beads, engraved with Sanskrit scriptures, scattered all over the ground like rain.

Seeing this, Daoist Baiyun was not surprised but pleased, and a relaxed smile appeared on his face: "These prayer beads were originally a pair, which I obtained from Cizhao Temple. If either of the prayer beads is damaged, the other one will also break."

"You two should leave now. If you're too late, well..."

"Once the high-ranking monks of Daci Temple come to attack, even if a celestial being descends, he cannot save you!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing squinted at the seemingly composed old Taoist priest and suddenly said, "Isn't that Zen Master Jinghai a monk from Cizhao Temple? I don't think you two have a very good relationship. If you really had such a good relationship with the monks of Cizhao Temple, would you have explained the function of the prayer beads and let us leave?"

"I am merely distressed by the loss of my family's property and cannot bear to see the temple continue to suffer."

"Does the Taoist priest himself believe this?" Xu Qing squinted at Baiyun Taoist and continued, "Is a Taoist temple more precious than the elixir of immortality? I think even the Taoist priest himself is not sure."

"."

Seeing that Baiyun Daoist remained silent, Xu Qing knew that he had guessed correctly.

The prayer beads might actually be useful, but it's uncertain whether Cizhao Temple will come to the rescue or sit back and reap the benefits. Even if monks do come to the rescue, can they really send out all of them?

This Taoist Baiyun isn't the biological father or godson of those monks!

After seeing through Baiyun Daoren's plan, Xu Qing simply stopped hiding it. He put away the Mother Qi Bottle and Jade Ruyi, and instead took out a door-like mountain-splitting axe from behind him!

The old Taoist priest Baiyun was already uneasy when he heard Xu Qing's words. Now, seeing the other party suddenly pull out a mountain-splitting axe that was completely out of place with his style, his unease intensified.

The image of the Goddess of Life Protection faded, and Xu Qing, holding a black iron axe weighing over three hundred catties, said meaningfully:

"You have the divine arts of the Heavenly Book, and I have the Heavenly Gang Method taught by the Celestials. So today, let's see whether your protective techniques are more powerful, or the Heavenly Gang Axe is sharper!"

The Thirty-Six Heavenly Techniques also originated from a mountain cave, but that cave was not Baiyun Cave. Instead, it was an obscure mountain cave that Hong Baoya, the leader of the Tianjin Gang, accidentally entered when he was chasing a young boy in his early years.

The cave was located within the Taihua Mountain area of ​​Guanzhong. Tadpole-like runes were carved on the cave walls. When Xu Qing watched Hong Baoya's revolving lantern, he did not recognize those celestial script-like runes. However, when he saw those runes, he was pulled into a strange dream. In the dream, a white-robed youth with a lofty and extraordinary demeanor appeared in person to perform magic and impart a complete set of Heavenly Gang Axe Techniques.

The axe technique has thirty-six moves. The white-robed youth taught Xu Qing all the moves and mental techniques, but never told him the names of the first thirty-five moves. Only when performing the last move did the white-robed youth reveal the name of this move—Opening Heaven.

The Heaven-Opening Axe Technique versus the strongest protective technique in the Nine Secrets Heavenly Book—these two extraordinary techniques, both originating from mysterious mountain caves, are like the strongest spear meeting the strongest shield.

Baiyun Daoist forced himself to remain calm, but the scene he had anticipated—Xu Qing wielding an axe and chopping down—did not occur. Just as the old Daoist was wondering about this, he saw Xu Qing carrying a mountain-splitting axe and heading straight to the front of the main hall.

Xu Qing measured the distance on foot and finally stopped fifty paces away from the main hall.

Since we agreed to leave the old Taoist's life to Xuan Yu, we must keep our word.

As Xu Qing raised the axe and gripped the handle with his five fingers, the black blade of the axe suddenly burst forth with dazzling light.

The Thirty-Six Forms of the Heavenly Gang Technique were layered upon each other. At this moment, Xu Qing had not yet wielded the mountain-splitting axe in his hand, but the surrounding airflow was already churning like boiling water!
When the seventeenth layer was added, the copper bells hanging from the eaves of the main hall of the Taoist temple trembled violently. The hall, which looked like it had been cast in steel, groaned under the weight of the axe's power!

Daoist Baiyun saw through Xu Qing's plan. When the power of the Heavenly Gang Axe accumulated to a point that even he was afraid of, the old Daoist finally couldn't help but speak up and stop him:
"Stop! I have something else to say."

Xu Qing ignored them. When those infants, the villagers of Bailong Village, and Xuan Yu from back then met their demise, did the old Taoist Baiyun ever hear their voices and tell them to put down their butcher knives?

Xu Qing raised his axe and brought it down without hesitation!
The next moment, the white rainbow axe shadow, which had grown to tens of feet, tore through the air. Where the white rainbow passed, a ravine more than three feet deep was cut from the ground to the front of the main hall.

The moment the axe blade touched the main hall, the seemingly iron-cast Tai Chi main hall collapsed and cracked, and the ironwood-framed palace disintegrated instantly as if it were made of paper.

Then came the sound of beams and pillars cracking, and the violent shaking of the entire mountainside platform.

Daoist Baiyun was dumbfounded, and at the same time, a gap appeared in the illusory spirit protection technique that represented his internal organs' defenses.

"Heaven is round, earth is square; the Six Jia and Nine Chapters; left and right assistants; warding off war and eliminating calamities."

Daoist Baiyun hurriedly chanted the Void God Avoidance Spell, attempting to replace the main hall representing the internal organs.

Unfortunately, he forgot that he was never facing Xu Qing alone.

The Cat Fairy Hall's motto has always been: if you can gang up on someone, never fight them one-on-one; if you can poison them, never lay a hand on them.

Before the old Taoist, Xuan Yu, who had been searching for a weakness, caught the weakness of the illusory god's substitute. As a feline that loves to ambush, how could Xuan Yu give up this excellent opportunity?
Just as the main hall shattered and the illusory image in Baiyun Daoist's heart faded, Xuan Yu's eight clones merged into one, and a long sword, bound to the extreme by demonic power and constantly trembling, pierced into the old Daoist's chest with unparalleled force!

The shadows of axes and the light of swords merged together at this moment, passing through the illusory image of the god!
Daoist Baiyun suffered severe injuries, and his Escape Technique could no longer be maintained; he instantly slumped down. "This humble Daoist is a disciple of the Holy Maiden; this humble Daoist possesses the inheritance of the Heavenly Book..."

The girl's merciless sword strike was the only response to Baiyun Daoist!
The wicked life of the old scoundrel with the white beard came to an end. The little girl lowered her long sword, and crimson blood slid down from the tip.

She dragged Baiyun Daoren's corpse toward Xu Qing, her small figure resembling a fledgling kitten catching a fat mouse.

"Xu Xianjia".

"Ok?"

"To Xu Xianjia."

Xuan Yu placed Baiyun Daoren's corpse in front of Xu Qing and looked at him very seriously.

Xu Qing looked down and saw Xuan Yu's long eyelashes and clear blue eyes.

"Thank you for your hard work, Immortal Xuanyu."

"."

Xuan Yu lowered her head to look at her small feet, then raised her head again and said happily, "It's not hard work. In the future, if I encounter any bad people's corpses, I will save them for the Xu family!"

The cat was so sensible that it moved the zombie.

Xu Qing suddenly felt a sense of relief that her child had grown up.

Not far from the ruins of the main hall, Xu Qing took the Ghost Head Blood Blade from the old Taoist priest, and then dripped a few drops of blood lake dew from the Mother Qi Bottle onto the Ghost Head Blade.

The dew in the Mother Gas Bottle is formed from the incense in the Blood Lake; a single drop is equivalent to ten thousand strands of incense.

As the dew dripped, Xu Qing chanted the Blood Lake Repentance Sutra, which dispelled the murderous aura and fierce light from the Blood Blade, turning it into an ordinary weapon.

Then, the axe fell, and the demon-headed sword was severed!
After doing all that, Xu Qing also scavenged a lot of strange items from Baiyun Daoren.

The items included a divination plate, soul nails, a gourd containing nine infants, blood-locking copper coins, and a gourd-shaped medicine bottle containing blood-longevity pills and fortune-longevity pills.

Xu Qing burned all those heinous pills with Yin Flame, followed by those evil magical artifacts and treasures.

Xuan Yu stood obediently to the side, acting as a sword-wielding maidservant to protect Xu Qing.

Despite being called a protector, she didn't look anywhere else, but kept staring at Xu Qing's movements, as if she felt that whatever Xu Qing did was meaningful.

After dealing with all the evil items on the old Taoist priest's body, the only remaining items were an old map of Yunmeng Mountain and some unblemished Nightmare Suppression artifacts.

Xu Qing unfolded the old map, and the most eye-catching thing in it was the Baiyun Cave landmark, which was specially circled.

"The monk Xinyuan said that my destiny to become an immortal lies in the bright moon, but the White Cloud Cave that nurtured this demon is not that bright moon."

Xu Qing shook his head, clearing his mind of distractions.

Besides Daci Temple and Xiaoci Temple, there are no other temples nearby. The identity of the mad monk is unknown, and no one knows whether he is truly capable or just spouting nonsense.

Xu Qing didn't believe the mad monk. If he really believed him, he wouldn't have come here and demolished Baiyun Daoren's Taoist temple.

Putting away the map, Xu Qing glanced at the corpse of the White Cloud Taoist.

This Taoist priest died so easily; it was too good for him!

However, Xu Qing was not worried. Evil people will eventually find their place. Otherwise, the Salvation Sutra would not have shown different scenes each time it performed a ritual to deliver a corpse.

Xu Qing has discovered some patterns in the many corpses he has performed rituals for.

For example, when performing rituals to liberate the souls of those who lived mediocre lives, the opening scene when turning the pages of the "Scripture of Salvation" is often an empty pass, a silent bridge, a desolate rocky hill, and a huge, colorless platform in shades of gray and white.
When performing a ritual to help the deceased who has accumulated good deeds and merits in their lifetime to be reborn, the scene that appears is a bridge built of gold and silver, a stone city with three-colored stones arranged in a matrix, and a towering platform with rays of light that can see all the colors of the world.

Xu Qingyuan started his business in funeral arrangements, so he was no stranger to these things.

In the profession of traversing the underworld, there has always been the saying of the Golden Bridge and the Silver Bridge. For example, the Golden Bridge is reserved for virtuous people and noble people who have accumulated good deeds in their previous lives.

Simply stepping onto the golden bridge means that one can reach the other side, ascend to the heavens, or choose a blessed place for reincarnation.

The Silver Bridge is specifically for ordinary people who have lived upright lives and performed many good deeds, that is, "people of moderate virtue".

Crossing the silver bridge means you will be able to be reborn smoothly into a wealthy and peaceful family.

Over the years, Xu Qing has performed rituals to help nearly ten thousand corpses pass on, but only a handful have triggered the Golden Bridge and Silver Bridge cutscenes.

Besides virtuous people who have accumulated merit and ordinary people who are mediocre and inactive, there is another type: corpses that committed numerous evil deeds and killed countless people in their lifetime.

The scenes depicting these corpses are often endless mountains of corpses and seas of blood, as well as the boiling, surging River Styx, where countless skeletons and ghosts struggle and wail.
Now, Xu Qing's gaze at Baiyun Daoren's revolving lantern has triggered a new scene.

The underworld, a land of exile, lies deep within an abyss that pierces the earth's core, containing towering mountains of knives, boundless seas of fire, and icy desolation. It also features iron trees, tongue-pulling structures, steaming baskets, bronze pillars, and many other such sights.

In the abyss, the wails never ceased, the flames of karma burned endlessly, as if there was no hope of liberation.

Even as an observer, Xu Qing could feel the extreme despair.

As the saying goes, the heavier the evil deeds, the deeper one falls into.

This shows that the evil deeds of the White Cloud Taoist have probably reached a point where there is no day when they can be repaid.

No wonder that old Taoist priest was so afraid of death.
Xu Qing suddenly realized that cultivators are often more averse to matters of the underworld than ordinary people, especially under the influence of the Five Turbidities and Evil World, where there are many who defy the heavens and those who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

Given the evil deeds these people have accumulated, it's likely that none of them will escape being swallowed by the abyss after death.

The Sutra of Salvation, now stained black with sin, continues to turn its pages, revealing the sinful life of the White Cloud Taoist.
(End of this chapter)